Finding Isadora(80)

“2nite?”

“I kind of have plans.”

Martin, by any chance? I knew that if I told her I really needed to talk, she’d change her plans, but my problems could wait until tomorrow. It wasn’t like anything was going to change between now and then. “OK, lunch 2moro,” I confirmed.

Besides, Grace and Alyssa would be here in a few hours. Even if there wasn’t an opportunity to have a real talk with my mom, her presence would comfort me, and Alyssa was guaranteed to brighten my day.

After I’d seen another couple of patients, I was ready for a lunch break, but Felipe caught me in the hall. “Hi, Iz, I’m here. But I have to do an emergency appendectomy. Can you handle my other patients?”

“Of course.” I grabbed a yogurt from our supply in the fridge, gulped it down, and hurried back to work.

The afternoon was so busy that, when Grace and Alyssa arrived, I shot a startled glance at my watch. “Good heavens, is it that time already?”

“Are we too early?” Grace asked.

“Not at all,” I said, giving her a hug then exchanging another with Alyssa, whose warm body quivered with excitement. “I was working so hard I lost track of time.”

“What animals are here today, Izzie?” Alyssa asked eagerly.

“Let’s go and see.” I reached for her hand, but she was already running ahead of me down the hall. Grace and I exchanged fond smiles, then followed her. I realized how much we were all going to miss Alyssa when she went home to her mom.

Britt and Alyssa were chattering away when my mother and I found them. I broke in to say, “Be sure to let Melville, the basset hound, have a good romp in the courtyard. I promised him he could play with Alyssa.”

“We’ve already talked about it,” Britt said, and Alyssa seconded her with a firm nod.

I turned to my mother. “Okay, we’re superfluous, and I need to get back to work. How about you? Want to pass the time making phone calls again? By the way, I have a name to add to your list.”

“You do? Cool. And yeah, I’d like to borrow the phone, and I need to do some grocery shopping. Say, why don’t you come for dinner? Alyssa says the only kind of pasta she’s ever had is mac ‘n cheese so I’m going to make four-cheese rigatoni.”

“I’d like that.” The food, the idea of all of us eating together—and the opportunity, when Alyssa went off to do homework or watch TV, to have some private time with Grace and Jimmy Lee. Then I remembered that the last couple of times I’d gone to my parents’ apartment, Gabriel had shown up. “Uh, will Gabriel be there?”

“No. Why? Did you want me to invite him? Richard too?”

“No!”

She raised her eyebrows in a question.

Now was not the time to tell her about the breakup. “I feel like some family time.”

“Hmm. Want to play hooky and come shopping with me?”

Had she guessed how badly I wanted to talk?

Regretfully, I said, “Can’t. Liz called in sick and we’re swamped.”

“See you in a bit, then. By the way, that skirt looks great, hon.”

Her comment brightened my spirits. “It was obviously chosen by someone with exceptional taste,” I said.

She polished her knuckles against her shirt-front, and we both laughed.

“I love it, Grace. It’s a feel-good skirt. I’m so glad you gave it to me.”

“Me, too. Okay, you go to work and I’ll do my thing.”

“I’ll pop in and give you Henry’s name and phone number when I get a chance.” I nibbled my lip, knowing what I wanted to say but finding it surprisingly difficult. “Uh, Grace? I’d like to help, too. If you tell me what to do, I could make some of those calls. Or do anything else that’s needed.”

My mother didn’t startle easily, but now her eyes widened and she stared at me. Her gaze warmed with affection. “That’d be good, hon. We can talk about where you’d best fit in.”

I could see she was pleased, yet I realized she’d never judged me for failing to join in her and Jimmy Lee’s causes. My parents really did love me unconditionally.

After she’d gone, I found I was smiling. Despite lack of sleep and emotional stress, I was actually feeling okay.

* * *

A little over an hour later, I watched Alyssa walk proudly out from the back of the clinic with Melville on his leash. In the reception area, she carefully transferred the leash to Tonia, who said, “I can see he’s been in good hands.” The woman bent down and kissed his head. “Haven’t you, sweetheart?”

Alyssa gave the basset hound a hug. “Bye, Melville. It was nice meeting you.”

“And it’s time for us to go, too,” Grace said. “Can you leave now, Isadora?”

“Yes, things have slowed down and Felipe can cope.”

“But I don’t want to go,” Alyssa complained.

I bent down to her. “We have to, so we can help Grace get dinner ready. But thanks for coming today, Alyssa. You’re very good with animals.”

“I’m going to be a vet. Just like you, Izzie.”

Grace and I exchanged smiles and my mother said, “You’ll make a fine one. Just like Isadora.”

“Thanks, Grace. And I’ll second that, Alyssa. You’ll make an excellent vet. Once you’ve done your training, you come see me and I’ll hire you.”